Chapter 3

When I returned home, there were several extra pairs of shoes at the entrance.

There was a crowd of people sitting in the living room, and the coffee table was covered with beer and snacks.

Astrid stood up to greet me, introducing them to me as if she were the hostess of the house.

"Mabel, you're back? These are all Shane's friends.

"Everyone is just having a little get-together to relax a bit."

She lowered her voice to explain to me, "Since I haven't found a job yet, Shane specially brought his friends over to introduce me, hoping to pull some strings for me."

How generous of him.

Three years ago, my laboratory collaborated with Shane's.

When I ran into him once and wanted to greet him, he ignored me entirely as if he didn't know me.

Coming home, he even told me to be more mindful.

"I don't want the people in the lab to know about our relationship and say that I abused my position and got my girlfriend hired!"

But it turned out that needing to avoid suspicion was something that only applied to me.

I sat at the very edge of the sofa while Shane took the initiative to talk about embarrassing stories from his childhood.

Astrid's eyes widened in surprise. "You really did that kind of thing when you were a kid?"

Shane said, "Really. My parents wouldn't even let me enter the kitchen after that."

Astrid laughed so hard that she was doubled over.

I had never heard this story before.

Shane didn't like me prying into his private affairs. Yet now, just to keep Astrid from feeling awkward, he'd be willing to share it with everyone.

A male colleague wearing glasses suddenly spoke up.

"Astrid, you and Shane get along so well. You should teach Mabel a thing or two.

"Look at the two of them. Together for five years, yet still acting like strangers."

Everyone laughed, and so did I.

It was true.

Between Shane and me, it had been a one-woman show performed entirely by me for five years.

After three rounds of drinks, the beer ran out.

Astrid stood up to buy more.

Several people simultaneously said there was no need, telling her to stay seated and asking me to go buy it instead.

"Mabel, why don't you go buy some? You're not really joining the conversation, anyway."

Shane also nodded.

"Go ahead. Astrid is having a great time right now. Don't ruin her fun."

I bolted upright in an instant and walked out the door.

I didn't want to buy any beer, though. I just felt a bit short of breath.

I waited for a very long time before going back.

By then, the crowd had mostly dispersed, and the living room was an absolute mess.

Cigarette butts, popcorn, beer cans, and half-eaten pieces of fruit were scattered all over the floor.

Shane casually called out to me.

"Clean up the room. Astrid's back hurts, so she can't bend down."

I stared at him.

"My back hurts too."

Astrid hurriedly stood up. "It's fine, it's fine, I'll clean it up. My back is just a bit stiff, but it's no trouble."

Shane pressed her back down onto the sofa, then turned around to look at me.

"Since when have you had back pain?"

I looked at him.

My back had been injured before.

Three years ago, when we decided to move in together, Shane said that even in love, I had to learn to be independent.

So when moving, I carried a massive box by myself and slammed into a metal cabinet.

A lumbar spine contusion left me lying in bed for half a month.

I suddenly swung a beer bottle, smashing it heavily onto the ground.

Astrid let out a scream.

"Didn't I say I would do it? Mabel, what kind of random tantrum are you throwing?"

I looked calmly at Astrid's face.

"Astrid, all these years, have I ever done anything wrong to you?"

For Astrid, my best friend, I had done everything to the absolute extreme.

One winter during our childhood, she had acute gastroenteritis in the middle of the night. Unable to hail a taxi, I carried her to the hospital on my back, leaving my knees a bloody, mangled mess from falling.

The year we graduated, her father caused a scene at the school, demanding money. I transferred all twenty thousand dollars that I had saved by scrimping and scraping entirely to her.

Astrid's expression froze.

"What are you talking about? If you want me to leave, just say it straight!"

She stormed into her room, slamming the door.

Shane stood in the middle of the living room, his face darkening.

I could tell he wanted to say that I shouldn't have spoken that way in front of Astrid, making things difficult for her.

However, I didn't give him the chance to speak.

"I'm tired. Whatever it is, we will talk about it tomorrow."

Looking at the heavy exhaustion on my face, he ultimately didn't speak up.

"Fine."

"Save tomorrow for me. I have something very important to tell you."